Personal Note: Appointed Vice-President of Sales, Marketing and External Affairs at Austal USA

by Craig Hooper on April 11, 2011

Austal is the world’s premier manufacturer of advanced aluminum ships. An industrial iconoclast, Austal USA entered the brutal U.S. shipbuilding market in 2000, and is now producing two key components of the future U.S. Fleet, the Littoral Combat Ship and the Joint High Speed Vessel. I have been a fan of Austal and the LCS-2/JHSV concepts for years.

Today, I embark on a new journey as Austal USA’s Vice President of Sales, Marketing and External Affairs.

The immediate impact is the suspension of blogging at NextNavy.com until a decision is made as to the future of this naval-affairs forum.

I am ecstatic that Austal values the public discussion of naval affairs and national security strategy afforded by outlets like NextNavy.com. Over the coming weeks and months, I look forward to re-engaging the public (and the naval blogosphere) in new ways while helping Austal grow to become one of the best, most innovative naval shipbuilders in the business.

It has been a wonderful ride here at NextNavy.com. For my East Coast friends, I am attending the Navy League’s Sea/Air/Space Exposition, so please feel free to drop me a line at craig.hooper@nextnavy.com or, better yet, stop by the Austal booth (#411) to say hello!

wow

Congrats on the job, is that why you were bashing Marinette Marine for months?

Cosmo deMedici

Aluminum burns.

http://militaryreporter.net Isaac Cubillos

Congrats to you, Craig. I hope the blogging suspension is lifted. Your insight is invaluable.

http://www.oaoosk.ru Tebin Prokhor

Congrats, Craig! Austal and LCS-2 are one of foremost interesting parts of US naval shipbuilding. Russian United Shipbuilding Company’ last magazine include my article about “”Independence” Innovation””. If you will be so kind I hope you could give me some comments about this particular and others US Navy-related topics. You can contact me by e-mail (panzerschwein@rambler.ru).
Thank you.

CBD

Congratulations, Craig. Hopefully you’ll be a force for good ideas and better communication within Austal. I will definitely miss the blog but will look forward to reading your more official statements on these new and exciting ships. It certainly looks like somebody at Austal has their head in the right place when it comes to the steps ahead.

I know you’ll have plenty of great ideas to bring to their table, as we will certainly miss reading them, first, here.

P

Congrats! I hope your insight will help craft new ships and fill needs for the USA.

Yes, as someone above posted…you didn’t mention if you were going to relocate from San Francisco.

Jon Harris

Congratulations.

Mark Hone

Well done matey!

I will miss your blog, it was enlightening and ‘real’.

Best wishes

Moose

Holy Cow, Craig, congrats! Even as this blog goes into hibernation, I hope your position allows you to comment elsewhere and add an Austal voice to the various debates and discussions around the blogs.

leesea

Craig, good for you, now maybe you can make the process of getting details and specific images out of Austal easier?
You did not mention if you will be relocating?
Email me for some personal observations about HSVs.

"...Dr. Hooper has masterfully articulated a Fleet-wide concern that sometimes gets little attention when considering the Navy's overall shipbuilding strategy...Like many of us who began our careers in the Cold War era, when the oilers were always guaranteed to be on station when needed, it is easy to take them for granted. So Dr. Hooper's analysis and apprehension should serve as a wake-up call to Fleet planners...Dr. Hooper has enlightened us, and we should heed the call..."

"...I live in the Marina District of San Francisco. Whenever I go for a run around the neighborhood, past the USS San Francisco or Lone Sailor memorials and the old degaussing range building on the Marina Green, I can't help but think of what Dr. Hooper points out-like it or not, this is a Navy town. Dr. Hooper is absolutely right when he says the Navy must engage the city..."